So I know I left us all hanging on Monday with a cliffhanger … and that a bunch of you at least six of you can’t wait to find out what happens next with the bizarre and awkward conversation between my fear, my stuck and myself.
And yet I must dangle that mildly tantalizing promise of continuation and closure in front of you for a tiny bit longer, because a weird and funny thing happened to me this weekend and I feel compelled to tell you about it.
Sunday night. 7:00 p.m.
You don’t really need any background for this story, other than the fact that I was on retreat for four days doing various yoga-related things in Austin.
It was Sunday night. I’d just come out of a six hour class. Four hours of lecture, two hours of yoga practice.
I was tired and achy. And woozy from a combination of serious information overload, meditative bliss, and not having eaten since an early breakfast.
The cab company had told me to expect about a thirty minute wait, so I took care of the food thing and the calling my gentleman friend thing … still no cab.
After forty-five minutes I called the company back. What follows is our conversation, which — while brief — is at least as fascinating as the one I had talking to a wall last week.
Listen to this.
Oh, also listen to it with the fabulous Texas drawl because it’s even better that way. On his end, not mine. Since I can’t do it.
Me: Hi! I called forty five minutes ago? I’m at _______ and ________. Still waiting on that so I thought I’d check.
The guy: Ma’am? It’s the Superbowl, ma’am. We don’t have any cabs, ma’am.
Me (in my head): ?!
The guy: Ma’am?
Me: (out loud): So … no one’s coming?
The guy: Well … it’s the Superbowl, ma’am.
Me: So … I should do something else instead of waiting here?
The guy: Yes, ma’am. That’s what I’d suggest.
That was it.
Well, then there was some hysterical laughter on my end. And then I called Pace and Kyeli and they picked me up, which was lovely of them.
I don’t really even need to pull out a lesson from this. You can pretty much choose your own.
But I will say that (as a general rule) I love interacting with entrepreneurs because you know, I am one.
I tend to identify with them way more than I should. And I’m considerably more forgiving of screw-ups. Since, you know, they happen.
This particular interaction, though … I’m still not even sure what to take from this. I mean … there’s so much in here.
Like:
- Obviously one should never go to Texas during football season. Clearly that was a horrible mistake.
- The good old “if you’ve promised something you can’t deliver, notify the person the second you realize it’s not going to happen” lesson. Which I’ve already learned. The
annoyinghard way. By making that mistake and regretting it. - Apologizing sincerely and sometimes profusely will always get you somewhere. Sigh. I know that one far too well too.
- And of course, never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
Knowing what your options are and not liking them is still better than not knowing.
That and not underestimating the power of a teeny tiny little admission of suckiness … always a good thing.
The littlest “Wow, our mistake really messed things up for you … that’s got to be frustrating.”
It definitely would have made my experience slightly less surreal.
That is all.
See you guys tomorrow.
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I had this vision of the whole of Texas sitting in cabs because it’s Superbowl.
My heart suddenly started talking last night. I’m freaked out – I think it’s been reading this blog independently.
Joely Blacks last blog post..When my heart suddenly started speaking
Ah. But. If they had apologised and all that – well, you might have been more inclined to use the service again, I dunno, but the whole experience would have been so much less fun! I mean, this way, you have a great story. Otherwise, you would just have had a whine.
They’re allowing Sicilians in Texas now? Hmm… when did they change that law?
And really, Havi, you should know better than to interrupt a Texan during the Superbowl. The only way your faux pas could have been worse is if Dallas had been playing.
“He didn’t [call]? Inconceivable!”
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Sorry, had to keep riffing on Princess Bride. I’m so very glad your retreat wasn’t here in Maine where you would have frozen solid during your wait for a cab. Plus the accent probably isn’t as charming. I admire your ability to laugh in that situation; can’t say that would have been my first reaction!
It’s amazing how foreign the concept of apologizing for a screw-up is in the business world. I’ve had experiences where companies have fixed their mistake, even refunded money because of it, but never once apologized. It leaves a hollow feeling, even after a fix, because you know there’s something missing from the transaction: the human element.
Healthy hand wishes to you! 🙂
Last lesson… there is probably no situation on earth that yet exists in which a line from “The Princess Bride’ would not be appropriate.
Ginas last blog post..congruency and courage
Sucky customer service must be in the air. I just blogged about it yesterday too.
No cabs on Super Bowl Sunday! How funny that the cab company expected you to know that… And Dallas wasn’t even playing!
Sue
Sues last blog post..The Best and Worst of Customer Service All in One Day
I don’t think I mentioned that I’m Sicilian. No, seriously.
So it’s a very good thing we didn’t have to deal with death.
Especially because then there would’ve been death and taxis!
Kyelis last blog post..Reflections on three months of being vegan (well, actually, non-dairy vegetarian)
@Kyeli – See? It’s good I didn’t know that!
@Sue – Right? The insanity! Also, the weirdest part is that they could have just said when I called the first time that it was a game and no one was available. Instead of “It will be there in half an hour” and then being totally incredulous that I was still waiting. When there was a GAME.
It’s just too funny. Though your experiences sounded considerably more annoying.
@Gina – “Stop this rhyming. I mean it!” “Anybody want a peanut?”
@Liz – you are so so right. Also, inconceivable!
@Christy – clearly I should consult you on everything. Because I wasn’t even sure it *was* football at first. 🙂
@Robynn – I suffer to amuse you! That’s even funnier than the story. Love it.
@Joely – Oh good. I could double my subscribers if people’s hearts were reading separately. Actually I couldn’t but that’s still pretty cool. Can’t wait to read it.
Honestly? Having people reading this stuff makes it so much more bearable when it happens. You just think “Ooooh, I can’t wait to blog this!”
oh i just love that conversation…and i’m so glad that the texas cab man is clueless about the right way to do things…cos then i never would have had the chance to read that conversation!
and hey…have you ever seen that infamous austin movie classic that begins in a cab…slackers? that’s the thing see…austin may be in texas, it may even be the capitol of texas, and still…it’s a state of mind all its own!
chass last blog post..mmm10! talk about the passion!
All I could think of when I read this (which I did in a fantabulous Texan accent) was, “You can’t get there from here!”
And I’m glad you could laugh about it!!
Leahs last blog post..More Fun with Words
Well, it’s easy to be confused. Americans feel the need to call a game FOOTball when the feet have nearly no involvement.
Don’t worry, I’m here to help!
christys last blog post..Rumi and President Obama
I’ve always said that the worst experiences (when you survive) make the *best* stories. Your experience here is a little less extreme than most of the times it seemed applicable, however having been to Austin, I can visualize it very well.
never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.
ah ha ha ha, ah ha ha ha, ah ha… (falling over) – YAY!
And the delayed taxi driver was probably some local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise at night… through… eel-infested waters…
(Go in! Get after her!)
(…I don’t swim…)
(…I only dog paddle…)
Oh Havi… Oof. I didn’t mean to sound quite so, um, solipsistic. I meant not so much that you suffer to amuse me, as that suffering is way less unpleasant when you get a good blog entry out of it. At least that’s how it is in my world. I can put up with almost anything as long as I can tell a funny story about it afterwards.
But of course my amusement is very very important too, yes. *Nods seriously*
Ha-dee-ha
sorry, I have to laugh at the way you’ve written this.
You would not do well in South Africa!
Juliet
LifeMadeGreat – Juliets last blog post..Overcoming The Barriers Of Introversion: Starting The Process
*blink*
You would think they’d have a female driver, or maybe a non-football watching cab driver… I usually watch the superbowl for the ridiculous commercials… This year I didn’t even do that.
If it were some other situation that they’d screwed up, I’d be okay, but to outright not tell you we don’t pickup on the Superbowl, now that would have me screaming a stream of expletives. It’s just too ludacris to excuse.
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